Armillaria mellea

Scientific name: Armillaria mellea (Vahl) P. Kumm.Derivation of name: Melle- means "honey" or "honey-
colored" referring to the honey color of the cap of this
mushroom. Synonyms: Armillariella mellea (Vahl) P. Karst. Common name(s): Honey mushroom; Bootlace fungus.Phylum: BasidiomycotaOrder: Agaricales Family: Physalacriaceae Occurrence on wood substrate: Parasitic/saprophytic; in
cespitose clusters at the base of living or dead trees (mostly
deciduous), stumps, or arising from buried wood; June
through
fall.
Dimensions: Caps are 4-10 cm wide; stalks are 5-15 cm
long and 0.5-2 cm thick. Cap: Sticky to dry yellow-brown cap with erect black
hairs over the center. Gills: Attached to subdecurrent, whitish.Spore print: White.
Stipe: White above the ring, white to buff to brown below
the ring.
Veil: Membranous and persistent; whitish, sometimes with
a yellow margin.
Edibility: Choice with caution.
Comments:
Armillaria mellea and related species are
important forest pathogens. Several species form black
rhizomorphs which spread out and can infect trees at
considerable distances away from the mushroom where they
originated. Underneath the sloughing bark of dead trees
killed by this fungus can be found the black, flattened
rhizomorphs resembling shoestrings or bootlaces. The
hyphae of Armillaria mellea are bioluminescent and wood
colonized by this fungus is
referred to as "foxfire." Studies
have revealed that what was
once regarded as a species
complex under the name Armillaria mellea is now
understood to be a group of 10 or
more closely related
species. Species determination based
solely on field
characters is difficult. See the web sites below for keys
and additional information.